I Believe

The Resurrection of Jesus is not my mere "lived experience."

It’s far more important than that.

What can I possibly say about the resurrection that hasn’t already been said a thousand times and a thousand different ways? I think I’ll just make it straight forward and simple.

I believe Jesus was crucified, died, was buried, and rose bodily from the dead on the third day.

I believe.

I do not mean “I believe” in the same way as I mean “I think” or “I hope.” No. I believe because I know. He was seen by his disciples who went on to suffer horrific deaths (all but one of them) for this assertion—that they saw him and touched him. People don’t die for silly and fantastical lies.

Jesus was crucified and died.

He didn’t faint or swoon or fall into a coma. He died.

He was buried.

A stone was rolled over the opening of his tomb, a stone so massive a single man could not have moved it without the assistance of several more men.

He rose, bodily, from the dead.

He didn’t rise metaphorically. He didn’t rise as a disembodied spirit. He, all of him: his spirit, soul, and body rose from the dead.

He is alive today and intercedes for me.

And that is where all my hope, my sure hope, rests. All my eggs are in this basket. He laid his life down and he took it up again, and he could do this because He is the creator of life. And when the time comes, He has the power to breath life back into my dead body and raise me up, too. He made my body to begin with, and it will be no trouble for Him. I will rise again.

I believe this!? In 2023?!

Yes.

And I believe a few more things…

The Apostles Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
      creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
      who was conceived by the Holy Spirit
      and born of the virgin Mary.
      He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
      was crucified, died, and was buried;
      he descended to hell.
      The third day he rose again from the dead.
      He ascended to heaven
      and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.
      From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
      the holy catholic* church,
      the communion of saints,
      the forgiveness of sins,
      the resurrection of the body,
      and the life everlasting. Amen.

I heard the other day that more and more modern people are beginning to believe in the existence of hell. Curious. I guess it’s because it’s hard to pretend a great evil isn’t there when it’s staring you in the face as it has, ever more insistently, these last three years. If you believe in the devil and evil and hell, don’t forget that there is also a great Good who has conquered them all. Believe in Him.

Happy Easter!

As per usual, the next Chapter of The Pursuit of Elizabeth Millhouse will go out on Wednesday at 7:00 AM. Please consider updating from free to paid to support me as I seek to get it back in print and so you can listen to it as well.

That’s all for now, folks. Until next time…